Film Festivals

2013 Cork Film Festival in Ireland to run November 9 – 17; Announces Film Lineup

Closing Night Film – KILL YOUR DARLINGS

The 58th Cork Film Festival, Ireland’s oldest film festival will take place from November 9 to 17, 2013, and opens with NEBRASKA, Alexander Payne’s (Sideways, About Schmidt, The Descendants) latest film which tells the story of a road trip between a father and a son where bittersweet personal truths are uncovered and savored. The film stars lonely salesman David Grant (Will Forte) and his father Woody (Bruce Dern in a Cannes Palme d’Or Best Actor Winning Performance)

The Closing Night Presentation of the Cork Film Festival is KILL YOUR DARLINGS, which was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and stars Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter, Woman in Black) as Allen Ginsberg. Set in the 1940’s. KILL YOUR DARLINGS is a crime thriller based on the previously untold true story of a murder that implicated the men who went onto to become the great poets of the Beat Generation: Allen Ginsberg, Lucien Carr, Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs.

This year, Cork Film Festival presents a series of films with a revolutionary spirit, looking at the brave individuals who fight injustice. 99% – THE OCCUPY WALL STREET FILM documents America’s Occupy movement which lead the world in mass protest against the ruling elite, whose prime objective is profit over people. FORBIDDEN VOICES, tells the story of three women who have defied government censorship by blogging about their closed countries of Cuba, China and Iran, risking their lives in the process while SILENCE IS GOLD, looks at the corruption of Canada’s mining companies in Africa and the man who outed them.

International features include THE COUNSELOR directed by Ridley Scott and stars Brad Pitt, Michael Fassbender, Penelope Cruz and Cameron Diaz. The film is about a lawyer who finds himself in over his head when he gets involved in drug trafficking. BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR, Winner of the Palme d’Or this year is an uninhibited exploration of the turbulent nature of love while ALL IS LOST starring Robert Redford, who finds himself staring mortality in the face after a collision with a shipping container in the Indian Sea. Irish Feature Films include the thriller DARK TOUCH directed by Marina de Van and HOW TO BE HAPPY, a comedy about a marriage counselor who becomes involved with his clients in a misguided pursuit of happiness.

Documentaries include THE PERVERT’S GUIDE TO IDEOLOGY directed by Sophie Fiennes – the ultimate guide to psychoanalysis and fiction film while LEVIATHAN captures the mayhem of life and labor on a large fishing vessel.

Music lovers will enjoy the mini strand of Punk documentaries with the amazing PUNK SINGER and THE PUNK SYNDROME and Lukas Moodysson’s glorious slice of punk coming of age WE ARE THE BEST!.

The Festival welcomes the Event Series Riching Pickings to Cork to explore through debate and film challenging and topical themes including the pathology of mental illness (BATTLE FOR THE BRAIN) and how our corporal selves define and drives us (REWIRING THE BODY)

There will be a special shorts festival within the festival showcasing the best in Cork, Irish and World Shorts. Director Tony Palmer will attend the screening of his legendary seven hour, forty-five minute film WAGNER in the Cork Opera House, which will be, screened in full with two meal breaks. Triskel Christchurch will host a Giallo Night featuring a live re-score of AMER by Serafina Steer while a series of films curated by the artist Anthony Haughey to commemorate the centenary of the 1913 Dublin Lock-Out will screen in the National Sculpture Factory.

The Cork Film Festival will pay tribute to Nicolas Roeg and screen a selection of his films. There will be a special Mexican Program including HELI, whose director won Best Director Prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Comedian Dylan Moran will discuss his favorite movies while the Festival will celebrate the work of documentary maker James Broughton who paved the way for the Beat Generation.
Read more
‘NEBRASKA’ ‘FOREIGN LETTERS’ Among Winning Films at 2013 Gold Coast International Film Festival

FOREIGN LETTERS

NEBRASKA, and FOREIGN LETTERS were voted winners of Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature; and COMEDY WARRIORS, and THE PRIME MINISTERS: THE PIONEERS were voted winners of Audience Award for Best Documentary at the 2013 Gold Coast International Film Festival which took place October 21 to 27, 2013 in Long Island, New York.

2013 Award-Winning Films

Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature:

NEBRASKA

In Alexander Payne’s new sharply observed comedy-drama, Woody (Bruce Dern, winner of Cannes best actor prize and our first GCIFF Artist of Distinction recipient) is a broke, bitter, recovering alcoholic who barely speaks to his shrewish wife (June Squibb, in a scene stealing performeance) or grown sons. After falling under the delusion that he’s won a mail-order sweepstakes, he embarks on a cross-country journey to claim the dough with his youngest son David (Will Forte) playing Sancho to his Don Quixote, and making discoveries about his father he never could expect. Alexander Payne (The Descendants, About Schmidt, Sideways, Election) is back on Middle American turf to chronicle Dern’s, grumpy, often confused Woody who has knuckled down to a life of quiet desperation, but he just may open up a little more to his son. Backed with a terrific supporting cast (Stacy Keach, Bob Odenkirk and Squibb), Nebraska is both tough, tender and gently humorous in looking at one family’s life in the America’s heartland.

FOREIGN LETTERS

Ellie, a 12-year-old immigrant girl from Israel, is lonely and homesick in her new Connecticut surroundings. Between learning English and American social customs (“You can say ‘Jewish,’ but not ‘Jew’”), her only solace is corresponding with her best friend back in home. But life brightens when she meets Thuy, a Vietnamese refugee her age. Trust slowly builds as the two teach each other about life in America. Ellie and Thuy become inseparable, but they eventually hurt and betray each other. Ellie must give up her most prized possession in order to save their friendship. Based on the filmmaker’s own experience, Foreign Letters is a story about prejudice, poverty, shame, and the power of friendship to heal us. Director Ela Their creates a touching yet unsentimental portrait of the bond between two friends in this film that features the music of iconic Israeli musician Chava Alberstein, who was the director’s favorite musician when her family immigrated to the US in 1982.

Audience Award for Best Documentary:

COMEDY WARRIORS

Five severely wounded Iraq/Afghanistan veterans are given the opportunity to explore their experiences through the healing power of humor as they work with professional comedy writers, and A-List comedians: Zach Galifianakis, Lewis Black, Bob Saget, and B.J. Novak, who help them write and perform their own personal stand-up comedy routines, culminating in one big night performing at LA’s top comedy clubs.

THE PRIME MINISTERS: THE PIONEERS

Based on the best selling bok by Ambassador Yehuda Avner. In The Prime Ministers, the audience gets a highly personal insider’s view of some of the most important events in 20th century history. Told from the point of view of those who witnessed history first-hand, this film shares intimate moments from the offices of Israel’s Prime Ministers and the thoughts of the men and women who have shaped modern Israel. The film includes never-before-told stories about Golda Mier, Yitzhak Rabin, Menachem Begin and Shimon Peres. Weaving a rich and highly intimate tapestry of history, this is a film about the hearts and minds of people at the center of the modern world.

Audience Award for Best Short Film:
PLURALITY

Jury Award for Best Short Film:
NOAH

Read more
2014 Miami International Film Festival to World Premiere Documentary Shorts Based on The Arts Initiative Project

Miami International Film Festival (MIFF) will world premiere 11 short films documenting a project by a group of nationally and internationally renowned artists commissioned by The Arts Initiative and curated by Primary Projects, at the Festival’s 31st edition taking place March 7 to16, 2014.

Each of the 11 films will individually document work created for The Arts Initiative project by artists Daniel Arsham, Bhakti Baxter, Jim Drain, Friendswithyou, Cody Hudson, Alvaro Ilizarbe, Andrew Nigon, Kenton Parker, Bert Rodriguez, Jen Stark and Austyn Weiner. The films, also commissioned by The Arts Initiative, are produced by Grela Orihuela and directed by Bill Bilowit of Miami’s Wet Heat Project. Bilowit’s feature-length documentary about Bert Rodriguez, Making Sh*t Up, world premiered at MIFF’s 28th edition in 2011.

“Bill Bilowit not only documents the artistic process, he also captures the emotional essence an artist finds in their work,” said MIFF executive director Jaie Laplante. “We are thrilled to be able to share Bill’s new valentines to some of the top artists of our day, as he brings his own artist’s eye to the combined vision of Arthur Weiner and Books IIII Bischof.”

“Each of the artists in this project have in their own way touched Miami,” said The Arts Initiative founder Arthur Weiner. “I am honored and humbled to see these documentaries debut at Miami International Film Festival. It’s an elegant way to celebrate both the work and the fraternity formed by this group while creating their brilliant pieces over the summer at Fashion Outlets of Chicago.”

The 11 contemporary artists were chosen to enrich and enliven Fashion Outlets of Chicago, a newly-opened, $250 million, multi-level luxury outlet mall. The ambitious project was curated by Miami-based collective Primary Projects, founded by Books IIII Bischof, Typoe and Cristina Gonzalez, on behalf ofThe Arts Initiative, a newly formed collective dedicated to placing highly interactive visual art in public venues, founded by AWE Talisman chairman Arthur Weiner.

Since the beginning of June, filmmakers Bilowit and Orihuela have been in production on the documentary series, capturing each of the site-specific, large-scale installations. The caliber of artists is unusual for a retail center, and Wet Heat Project became involved as the developers of the windy city’s Fashion Outlets sought to fuse fashion and art in a new and innovative way – “artist-driven ideas actively integrated into the architectural framework and viewing space.”

The 11 documentary shorts will world premiere at MIFF’s 31st edition (March 7-16, 2014) and be programmed to individually precede the documentary feature films competing in MIFF’s Knight Documentary Competition program.

The complete line-up of the 31st Miami International Film Festival will be announced in late January 2014.
Read more
Temecula Valley International Film & Music Festival Sets 2014 Dates

Raquel Welch, Icon Award honoree Temecula Valley International Film & Music Festival

The Temecula Valley International Film & Music Festival (TVIFF) has set the dates of September 17 to 21, 2014 for the next edition taking place in Temecula, California. According to festival director Jo Moulton, “The Temecula Valley International Film & Music Festival has remained a true advocate and accessible home for independent film and music artists for 17 years. We built a genuine networking hub for them to mingle, network, party and do business.” Moulton adds, “What is so exciting is that even prior to issuing a formal call for entries, primarily through social media, we have already received entries from Belgium, Spain, Portugal, South Korea, Germany, France, Iran, Italy, the UK and of course, the U.S. Filmmakers and music artists appreciate our open approach of not catering to one particular genre. If your film tells a good story and your music tugs at the heart of your and our audience, we invite you to submit.”

The film component of the festival is open to U.S. and foreign films in five categories: Narrative features, shorts, documentaries, animation and student films. To be eligible, a film entry must have been completed in 2012, 2013 or 2014. The music component welcomes entries from all genres of music, from rock to pop, folk to jazz to reggae. Unlike previous years, winners will be awarded cash prizes at 2014 Temecula Valley International Film & Music Festival.

image via Facebook
Read more
8th Rome Film Festival Selects International Competition Jury

The 8th Rome Film Festival taking place November 8 to 17, 2013, has announced the names of the members who will complete the Competition Jury, that will confer the prizes to films in Competition. Jury President James Gray will be joined by Argentinean director Verónica Chen, Italian director, scriptwriter, and producer Luca Guadagnino; Russian actor and producer Aleksei Guskov, French director, scriptwriter, and actress Noémie Lvovsky; Iranian director Amir Naderi, and Chinese director Zhang Yuan. The Jury will confer the feature films in Competition the Golden Marc’Aurelio Award for Best Film, the Best Director Award, the Special Jury Prize, the Best Actor Award, the Best Actress Award, the Award for Emerging Actor or Actress, the Award for Best Technical Contribution, and the Award for Best Screenplay.
Read more
Actress Patricia Clarkson, Director Park Chan-wook Among Jury for 2013 Marrakech International Film Festival

Actress (USA) Patricia Clarkson

Director, writer & producer (Turkey & Germany) Faith Akin, actress (USA) Patricia Clarkson, actress (France) Marion Cotillard, director, writer & producer (Mexico) Amat Escalante, actress (Iran) Golshifteh Farahani, director, writer & producer (India) Anurag Kashyap, director, writer & producer (Morocco) Narjiss Nejjar, director, writer & producer (South Korea) Park Chan-wook and director & writer (Italy) Paolo Sorrentino have been selected for the Feature Film Jury for the 13th edition of the Marrakech International Film Festival to be held from November 29 to December 7, 2013. The Feature Film Jury will be presided over by director Martin Scorsese.
Read more
2013 Starz Denver Film Festival Unveils Full Festival Lineup

20 Lies, 4 Parents and a Little Egg

The 36th Starz Denver Film Festival (SDFF), taking place November 6 to17, 2013, announced its full Festival line-up. SDFF 2013 will screen more than 250 features, shorts, music videos and student films, along with Denver Film Society’s signature programs such as Cinema Q, Reel Social Club and Women + Film. This year, SDFF shines a spotlight on cinema from the Netherlands, known for its wildly diverse range of cinematic treasures. Fourteen Dutch films are included in the Festival line-up.

FOCUS ON A NATIONAL CINEMA: NETHERLANDS

Each year the festival shines the spotlight on one particular country in order to illuminate its range of cinematic treasures. Dutch cinema, for the most part, does not find its way onto the screens of U.S. Theaters. However, the Netherlands hosts two of the most important film festivals in the world: the International Film Festival Rotterdam and the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. The EYE Film Institute on the banks of the IJ waterfront in Amsterdam is a film exhibition, collections, and education wonder. Dutch cinema is wildly diverse: popular comedies dominate the local box office, off-kilter narratives punctuate major film festivals’ competition sections, and lush dramas find their way around the world. We’ve brought some of all of that to you.

Feature Films:

Borgman – DIRECTOR Alex van Wamrdam

The Girl and Death – DIRECTOR Jos Stelling

The Marathon – DIRECTOR Diederick Koopal

Matterhorn – DIRECTOR Diederik Ebbinge

The Resurrection of a Bastard – DIRECTOR Guido Van Driel

Tricked – DIRECTOR PAUL VERHOEVEN

20 Lies, 4 Parents and a Little Egg – DIRECTOR Hanro Smitsman

Warriors, Preceded by: Symbiosis – DIRECTOR Mijke de Jong

Wrong Time Wrong Place – DIRECTOR John Appel

Short Films:

Amstel – DIRECTOR Jaap van Eyck

The Animation of Man – DIRECTOR Amanda Nedermeijer

Balance – DIRECTOR Mark Ram

Chopper – DIRECTORS Lars Damoiseaux and Frederik Palmers

Sevilla – DIRECTOR Bram Schouw

CINEMA Q

Queer voices. Queer visions. Queer lives. Experience the best in films that convey every angle of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer rainbow through our Cinema Q program during the festival, as well as year-round.

Feature Films:

In The Name Of – DIRECTOR Malgorzata Szumowska

20 Lies, 4 Parents and a Little Egg – DIRECTOR Hanro Smitsman

Vic & Flo Saw a Bear – DIRECTOR Denis Côté

Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? – DIRECTOR Arvin Chen

WOMEN + FILM

Women + Film is a year-round program of the Denver Film Society that not only celebrates the art and achievements of women filmmakers around the world, but also brings together an array of scholars, civil- and human-rights advocates, community leaders, and concerned members of the public to shine the spotlight on social issues through cinema and the dialogue it stimulates.

Feature Films:

American Mustang – DIRECTOR Monty Miranda

The Animal Project – DIRECTOR Ingrid Veninger

August: Osage County – DIRECTOR John Wells

Lion Ark – DIRECTOR Tim Philips

Brave Miss World – DIRECTOR Cecelia Peck

Lovely Louise – DIRECTOR Bettina Oberli

Mother, I Love You – DIRECTOR Janis Nords

The One Who Loves You – DIRECTOR Katharyn Grant

Papusza – DIRECTORS Joanna Kos and Kryzsztof Krauze

Salma – DIRECTOR Kim Longinotto

Sarah Prefers to Run – DIRECTOR Chloe Robichaud

The Truth About Emanuel – DIRECTOR Francesca Gregorini

SPOTLIGHT ON COLORADO

Colorado’s filmmaking scene continues to grow at an unprecedented pace. More often than not, filmmakers are choosing to stay and work in the state rather than moving to Los Angeles or New York. This year’s Starz Denver Film Festival features a host of locally produced feature-length films and shorts, including an amazing 3-D documentary, and six shorts from the Denver Actor Project.

Feature Films:

American Mustang – DIRECTOR Monty Miranda

An American Terror – DIRECTOR Haylar Garcia

EAT – DIRECTOR Jimmy Weber

Hanna Ranch – DIRECTOR Mitch Dickman

The One Who Loves You – DIRECTOR Katharyn Grant

Ring of Water – DIRECTOR Joel Stangle

Torn Cloth – DIRECTORS Tate Zandstra and Phil Brown

Uranium Drive-In – DIRECTOR Suzan Beraza

Short Films:

Breathe – DIRECTOR Clifton Archuleta

Capstone’s Oak – DIRECTOR Will Phelps

Caretaker – DIRECTOR Tony Gault

Chasseur – DIRECTOR Christopher Soren Kelly

The Diver – DIRECTOR Damon Mohl

Fluffy the Flying Fish – DIRECTOR Ryan Charmatz

The Happy Go-Lucky Sunshine Twins – DIRECTOR Rylan Rafferty

Love to Hate – DIRECTORS Evan and Adam Nix

More – DIRECTOR Daniel Beahm

Tongue Twister Variations– DIRECTORS Dan Boord and Luis Valdovino

Music Videos:

The Blue Riders (12-6-10) – DIRECTOR Rett Rogers

Esme Patterson (My Young Man) – DIRECTOR Rett Rogers

The Epilogues (The Fallout) – DIRECTOR Dillon Novak

Frances England (Day You Were Born) – DIRECTOR Antonina Clarke

Ian Cooke (Cassowary & Fruit Bat) – DIRECTOR Adam Singer

The Denver Actor Project:

Brought to life by producer, writer, and director Brad Stabio, the Denver Actor Project showcases the talents of local actors as they perform a variety of monologues from films and plays juxtaposed with scenes of their own creation. Beautifully shot and wonderfully acted, find six of these works scattered throughout the festival screening in front of these films:

Jordan Leigh – screening prior to A Field in England

Tracy Shaffer – screening prior to The Truth About Emanuel

Chris Crundy – screening prior to Cold Turkey

Paul Page – screening prior to In the Name Of

Amie MacKenzie – screening prior to Northwest

Jeff Kosloski – screening prior to The Resurrection of a Bastard

ENVIRONMENT IN FOCUS

Environmental advocacy has become a powerful cultural touchstone; as such, it is a core concern for the 2013 Starz Denver Film Festival. The Environment in Focus program features seven cutting-edge documentaries that have the ability to inspire audiences to make a difference through their interactions with the natural world.

Hanna Ranch – DIRECTOR Mitch Dickman

Eternal Amazon – DIRECTOR Belisario Franca

Gold Fever – DIRECTORS Tommy Haines, JT Haines and Andrew Sherburne

If You Build It – DIRECTOR Patrick Creadon

Lion Ark – DIRECTOR Tim Phillips

Uranium Drive-In – DIRECTOR Suzan Beraza

MUSIC VIDEO MIXTAPE VOL. 1

New to the festival this year, SDFF presents a selection of the best new music videos from around the world. This compilation features funny, provocative, and mesmerizing videos with a wide range of genres, featuring local, international, indie, and industry-staple talent. These beg to be seen on the big screen and heard at full volume in surround sound. You might just find yourself dancing in your seat. Highlights include Placebo, “Too Many Friends,” narrated by Bret Easton Ellis; The Epilogues, “The Fall Out”; MGMT, “Your Life Is a Lie”; and Nine Inch Nails, “Came Back Haunted,” directed by David Lynch. Tuesday, Nov. 12, 6:45 p.m., Sie FilmCenter & Thursday, Nov. 14, 8:45 p.m. at Sie FilmCenter.

MILLION DOLLAR MOVIES

From the ’60s to the 80s, numerous TV stations across the country showed late-night movies under the moniker “Million Dollar Movies.” From Night of the Living Dead to The Night of the Hunter. From House of Wax to House of 1000 Corpses. From Holy Mountain toHoly Motors. From The Princess Bride to Princess Mononoke. It is in this tradition that we bring back “Million Dollar Movies” as a part of SDFF’s midnight programming.

An American Terror – DIRECTOR Haylar Garcia

Bushido Man – DIRECTOR Takanori Tsujimoto

The Demon’s Rook – DIRECTOR James Sizemore

EAT – DIRECTOR Jimmy Weber

She Wolf – DIRECTOR Tamae Garateguy

PANELS

Kickstart Your Dream

So, you want to make a movie, but have no idea how to raise the money. Crowdsource fundraising has opened a world of new possibilities. Many Denver filmmakers have funded their projects through Kickstarter, and the Denver Film Society used Kickstarter to help finance the purchase of digital projectors for the Sie FilmCenter, the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, and Film on the Rocks. Panel moderator Robert Denerstein will lead a nuts-and-bolts, in-depth conversation covering the basics of running a successful crowdsource campaign. How promising is crowdsource funding? What are the keys to success? The road to fundraising success has taken a new turn, but it’s best traveled with good directions and an awareness of pitfalls. Our panel will help. Saturday, Nov. 9, 11:30 a.m. at Sie FilmCenter.

Women + Film

Animal rightsactivists hold the idea that all animals are entitled to the possession of their own lives, and that one of their most basic interests, that of not suffering, should be championed by all. SDFF 36 presents two thought provoking films on the subject. Lion Ark,features the world’s most ambitious and daring animal rescue, in which 25 lions are airlifted to freedom to a preserve in Colorado. American Mustang, is an artful blend of documentary and a character-driven narrative about the majestic wild horses of the American West-revealed as never before in stereoscopic 3D. Both stories present the intricate interplay between animals and man, providing insights and lessons for us all. These films will stir you into action by raising awareness of the issues these animals face. Join our panelists and festival guests as they talk about their passions and fierce dedication to making a difference in the lives of animals world over. Saturday, Nov. 9, 12 p.m. at Sie FilmCenter.

The Land That Feeds Us Presented by Hanna Ranch

Hanna Ranch, an “Environment in Focus” documentary selection, introduces us to holistic ranching pioneer Kirk Hanna. Dubbed the original “eco-cowboy,” his legacy lives on in the sustainable ranching movement – which is up against grim statistics. Over the last 30 years, half a million ranchers have quit or gone out of business due to relentless encroachment of development and misuse of land. Moderated by Culinary Director of Root Down and Linger Daniel Asher, this in-depth discussion over brunch will tackle the issues facing the agriculture industry in our country today – how can it withstand continual loss? Who will be at the forefront of the sustainable agriculture movement? Who will be the stewards of the land that feeds us? Panelists: Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation, Food Inc., Command and Control), Chris Pague (The Nature Conservancy), Matthew Jones (Slow Food USA), Dale Lasater (Lasater Grasslands Beef); Brunch by: Linger & Root Down Sunday, Nov. 10, 12 p.m. at RedLine.

How To Package And Sell Your Film

Join the best film agents in the business as they discuss what is often the hardest part of making a film: the financing. Robert Denerstein moderates a conversation about best practices for packaging, financing, and selling a film, and how to navigate the ever-changing marketplace. This is the third in a quarterly series of Industry Panels supporting professional development in the Colorado filmmaking community. Saturday, Nov. 16, 12 p.m. at Sie FilmCenter.

Are Movies Breaking Bad?

Lines along various parts of the entertainment/arts continuum seem to be blurring on a daily basis. Long gone are the days when watching a movie meant buying a ticket and sitting in a Theater. But over the past decade or so, series-most aired on premium cable channels-have accomplished what many criticize the movies for not doing: focusing on characters, developing compelling stories, and dominating the national conversation. Long- form storytelling even has spread to services such as Netflix, which provide on-demand streaming as well as disc rentals. Panel moderator Robert Denerstein leads a discussion about whether the best of television now rivals and possibly surpasses movies in both relevance and artistry. Our panelists also will consider which form penetrates more deeply into the national consciousness. Were you more likely to hear watercooler talk about such cable series asBreaking Bad, Homeland, and Game of Thrones than about Argo, last year’s Oscar winner for best picture? Our panel will examine seismic shifts in the entertainment business, and chime in on whether movies are keeping pace. And, yes, we’re talking content, not just delivery systems. Sunday, Nov. 17, 12:15 p.m. at Sie FilmCenter.

Medicine And The Movies: An Eye-Opening Look At America’s Health-Care Crisis

Two vitally important festival documentaries-Code Black and Remote Medical Area-provide revealing looks at different aspects of the U.S. health- care system, emergency-room treatment and medical care for underserved rural populations. These films-both accompanied by their directors-will serve as a springboard for a wide-ranging discussion about health care from the perspective of those who have witnessed the front-line dedication of physicians who serve highly stressed communities. Amid often-acrimonious arguments over Obamacare, it’s essential to learn from the people who’ve seen the system at its best and at its worst. Local health-care officials also will join the filmmakers and panel moderator Robert Denerstein for a discussion that reminds us that documentaries can bring important issues into sharper focus while keeping us in touch with the human face behind the policy and politics that typically tend to dominate public debate. Sunday, Nov. 17, 2:15 p.m. at Sie FilmCenter.
Read more
2013 Savannah Film Festival Runs Oct 26 to Nov 2; HANK AND ASHA, THE PRETTY ONE Among Lineup

HANK AND ASHA

The 2013 Savannah Film Festival, presented by the Savannah College of Art and Design, kicked off in downtown Savannah, Georgia on Saturday night, and runs October 26 to November 2, 2013. The 16th edition of the festival features more than 50 competition films, selected from more than 800 entries in the categories of feature, short, animation, documentary and student competition. Films on the lineup include HANK AND ASHA, THE PRETTY ONE and documentaries BROTHERS HYPNOTIC and DEAR MR. WATTERSON.

The 2013 Savannah Film Festival competition films include:

Narrative features

Hank and Asha (USA)
In this modern love story, an Indian woman studying in Prague and a lonely New Yorker begin an unconventional video correspondence—two strangers searching for human connection in a hyper-connected world.

Home:______ (USA)
“Home:______” is the story of a man, recovering from mental illness, who tries to rebuild his life and reconnect with his estranged son by moving out of a group home and into an apartment of his own.

Jack Irish: Bad Debts (Australia)
A phone message from ex-client Danny McKillop doesn’t ring any bells for Jack Irish (Guy Pierce). Life is hard enough without having to dredge up old problems: his beloved football team has moved interstate; the odds on his latest plunge at the track seem far too long; and he’s still cooking for one. But when Danny turns up dead, Jack has to take a walk back into a dark and dangerous past.

The Pretty One (USA)
When a woman’s (Zoe Kazan) prettier identical twin sister dies, the woman assumes her sister’s identity, moves to the big city and into her apartment.

Documentary films

Brothers Hypnotic (USA and the Netherlands)
For the eight young men in the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, brotherhood is literal: they’re all sons of anti-establishment Chicago jazz musician Phil Cohran. Raised together on Chicago’s South Side as subjects of their father’s utopian family experiment, they wore homemade clothes, followed a vegan diet and awoke at 5 a.m. for family band practice. Now grown, as they raise eight brass bells to the sky—while playing for quarters in Times Square, collaborating with Mos Def or wowing a jazz festival—they find the values their father bred into them constantly tested. They must decide whether their father’s principles really are their own. “Brothers Hypnotic” is a coming-of-age story, for eight brothers, and for an ideal.

Dear Mr. Watterson (USA)
“Dear Mr. Watterson” is not a quest to find Bill Watterson or to invade his privacy. It is an exploration to discover why his simple comic strip “Calvin and Hobbes” made such an impact on so many readers, and why it still means so much to us today.

Mayan Blue (USA)
“Mayan Blue” documents the recent discovery of an ancient Mayan site beneath the waters of Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. Through the investigation of the 2,000-year-old city of Samabaj, the film explores the Mayan view of the cosmos and their ancient mythologies. The findings reveal a catastrophe the likes of which the Maya could never have imagined, reshaping everything they believed about the Earth and the origins of their underworld.

Money for Nothing: Inside the Federal Reserve (USA and Canada)
Nearly 100 years after its creation, the power of the U.S. Federal Reserve has never been greater. Markets and governments around the world hold their breath in anticipation of the Fed chairman’s every word. Yet the average person knows very little about the most powerful, and least understood, financial institution on Earth. Narrated by Liev Schreiber, “Money For Nothing” is the first film to take viewers inside the Fed and reveal the impact of Fed policies, past, present and future, on our lives. Join current and former Fed officials as they debate the critics, and each other, about the decisions that helped lead the global financial system to the brink of collapse in 2008, and why we might be headed there again.

Professional shorts

AB- (USA)
Stuck and injured on a remote road in the dead of winter—who will come to save you?

Care (USA)
Drea, a 20-something woman living in Brooklyn, struggles to make progress in her own life while being the sole caregiver for her father, who has Alzheimer’s disease.

The Nightshift Belongs to the Stars (Il Turno di Notte lo Fanno le Stelle) (Italy)
This is a story about a man and a woman. He is alone. She is married. They are both mountaineers, both survivors of cardiac operations. He has in his chest the heart of a young woman. She has a surgically replaced mitral valve. A fate and a promise unite them. A short story where the rhythm of the heartbeat accelerates to find, at the end, a steady pace.

Palimpsest (USA)
“Palimpsest” is a short film about the subtle forces at play in relationships and the tangible remnants of memory. Peter, a successful house tuner in New York City, meets Ellen while consulting in her apartment. As a house tuner, Peter offers his clients a unique form of therapy that examines minute details in living spaces that sometimes reveal more about a person’s past than they intended.

Setup, Punch (USA)
Showing that there is always a reason to laugh, stand-up comic Reuben Stein (Elijah Wood) does the most daring set of his life.

Walking the Dogs (UK)
A Buckingham Palace guard attending to Queen Elizabeth’s (Emma Thompson) room takes her dogs for a walk. While he’s away, an intruder breaks in for a chat with the monarch.

Wild Horses (USA)
In this story, that spans one day, cruelty, courage, love and memory collide as two generations of women bear witness to the brutality common in wild horse roundups in the American West.

Who Shot Rock & Roll: The Film (USA)
This documentary short explores the groundbreaking collaborations between photographers and recording artists who came together to create some of the most enduring images in rock history. From the early 1950s through the present, “Who Shot Rock & Roll” tells the stories behind the photos and takes viewers on a visual journey through the many eras of rock and roll. Powerful imagery and insightful commentary give viewers a unique glimpse into photography’s impact on the ever-changing, but everlasting, culture of rock and roll.

Professional animation shorts

Fear of Flying (Ireland)
A small bird with a fear of flying tries to avoid heading south for the winter. When a harsh winter rolls around he must face his fears in order to survive.

Irish Folk Furniture (Ireland)
“Irish Folk Furniture” is an animated documentary about repair and recycling in rural Ireland. In Ireland, old, hand-painted furniture is often associated with hard times, with poverty, and with a time many would rather forget. Because of this association, much of the country’s furniture heritage lies rotting in barns and sheds. In the making of this film, 16 pieces of abandoned folk furniture were restored and returned back into daily use. This film was shot in a green and environmentally friendly way, using local craftspeople, local narrators and inexpensive secondhand equipment. Only natural light was used to shoot this film.

Love in the Time of Advertising (USA)
“Love in the Time of Advertising” is about a young man living inside a billboard, charged with updating the advertisements. When a tear in the sign reveals a beautiful young lady living across the highway, he falls instantly in love. Unable to leave his billboard home to tell her how he feels, he decides to use the only method he knows in order to get his message across–advertising.

The Missing Scarf (Ireland)
Albert the squirrel makes a startling discovery—an empty space that his favorite scarf once occupied. He heads off into the forest only to find everyone else is preoccupied with worries of their own. He helps who he can before moving on but never seems to get any closer to his goal. Ultimately, Albert’s problem is put in perspective by the friends he helped and the problems they faced and overcame together. Narrated by George Takei.

Mr. Hublot (France and Luxembourg)
Mr. Hublot is a withdrawn, idiosyncratic character with obsessive-compulsive disorder, scared of change and the outside world. Robot Pet’s arrival turns his life upside down when he is forced to share his home with this very invasive companion.

The Rose of Turaida (Australia)
Based on a true story and set in 17th-century Latvia, “The Rose of Turaida” tells of the tragedy of a beautiful young woman who makes the ultimate sacrifice for love and honor.

Sci-Fly (USA)
“Sci-Fly” is a journey through time and space and the fight for existence, with a dark premise contrasted with the divine imaginary, creating a hypnotic ride of tone and emotion. Only in-camera effects were used to capture “Sci-Fly.” The wonders of our own world were filmed in order to create another. Capturing visual effects in-camera is starting to become an afterthought. The main goal of “Sci-Fly” was to create a journey solely on experimenting with new techniques that we had never done before. Those new methods would shift the storytelling arch. “Sci-Fly” evolved organically, just like the effects created.

Student narrative shorts

Dirt (SCAD)
After a boy promises to whisk her away to paradise, “Dirt” tries to escape her dilapidated neighborhood and overcome her greatest adversary—her mother.

The Empty Room
Isolated and extremely uncomfortable at a dinner party, Allen escapes into a room where he has a life-changing conversation with a girl he’s never met before.

Justice Denied (SCAD)
On April 18, 2006, Howell Woltz and his wife are arrested outside their North Carolina home on charges of which they had never heard, for a crime that didn’t exist. Howell is left with no other option but to fight a corrupt system from behind bars while struggling to keep his family intact. Upon examining other inmates’ cases, he is shocked to find he is not the only one facing injustice.

Mo Chara (SCAD)
Regardless of history, religion or what their parents say, Sean and David become friends.

Pretty (Columbia University)
When the intrusive and controlling nature of small-town living promises a life of confinement, Mary sets an intricate plan in motion to escape with Will, her childhood sweetheart. She just needs to get through one last day.

Six Letter Word (American Film Institute)
Down on her luck, Zoe (Rumer Willis) turns tricks to support herself and her bright, odd son Jax, but wants a better life for him. Her estranged mother agrees to pay for Jax to go to a private school, where an unexpected encounter with one of her johns gradually helps Zoe realize Jax has autism and needs much more than she alone can give him.

Skin (Columbia University)  
“Skin” is the story of a child taxidermist, an outsider in his small town. He is entranced by a girl who finds his work beautiful. But just as their relationship begins to progress, he does something that drastically changes everything.

Unorthodox (University of Southern California)
When Yankel’s older brother runs away from home after a bitter fight with his father, Yankel decides to strike back. He learns in school that fathers are punished for their children’s sins before their Bar Mitzvahs, so Yankel decides to test his faith for the first time in order to teach his father a lesson.

Valiant (SCAD)
After dropping into Normandy on D-Day, one young lieutenant learns the true meaning of leadership and discovers the importance of passing on a legacy of valiance for generations to come.

Student animation shorts

Balloon Cat (SCAD)
A cat floats helplessly through space, tethered to balloons, as his life flashes before his eyes.

 Baxter (SCAD)
Baxter the raccoon makes his way into Granny’s Sweet Shop, but once inside, he becomes obsessed with the candy and he creates his own downfall.

Chicken or the Egg (Ringling College of Art and Design)
This is a story about a pig addicted to eating eggs, but when he falls in love with a chicken, he must decide what comes first, chicken or the egg.

The Collector’s Gift (University of Southern California)
“The Collector’s Gift” is a modern-day fairy tale about a young girl who discovers the key to creating a new world.

The Final Straw (Ringling College of Art and Design)
A scarecrow gets more than he bargains for when a stubborn crow invades his farmland.

The Observer (SCAD)
“The Observer” is a loose narrative that explores the continuum between inner doubt and self-acceptance.
 Runaway (Ringling College of Art and Design)
“Runaway” is a charming story following the unfortunate misunderstanding between Stanley and his lovable and treasured 1950s refrigerator, Chillie. Set in the present day, a sad event sends Chillie into a whirlwind of emotional turmoil, and as a result, he runs away. Over the course of events, this story shows how a small assumption can cause big problems, yet the bond of friendship cannot be broken.

New categories

The Savannah Film Festival has added two new competition shorts blocks for everyone’s enjoyment: Historical Shorts and SuperShorts! Historical shorts pay tribute to the extra time and production design that setting a film in a different period entails. SuperShorts! showcases the challenge of creating and telling complete stories, in under six minutes.

Historical shorts

Until The Dust Settles (USA)
A father and his two sons reconnect while traveling through the heart of the American Dust Bowl in 1932.

Menschen (USA)
During the last week of WWII, an Austrian captain takes a developmentally disabled boy under his wing and brings the loyalty of his men to the test.

The Station Master (UK)
Set in 1950s England, a lonely, dysfunctional Station Master lives in the middle of nowhere. Unexpectedly, a woman exits one of the steam trains and during the night they spend together, she opens his eyes to a life he never believed he could have.

The Most Girl Part of You (USA)
Teens Kate and Big Guy are lifelong best friends. When tragedy causes charming oddball Big Guy to unravel, Kate finds herself both appalled by his behavior and driven by an attraction she never before realized.

Wolves from Another Kingdom (USA)
The two boys struggle to survive in a recently devastated world — an echo of natural disaster.

SuperShorts!

Korean Food (UK)
An English businessman tries to learn Korean in order to ask a Korean waitress out, but he may have misjudged the situation.

Darwin’s Theory (USA)
Three nugget creatures have to resort to their ability to change colors in order to avoid a large knuckle-dragging predator. The only problem is that one nugget is a little unique.

Thumb (USA)
After losing a playful thumb war to his date, our hero puts his losing digit through a grueling and hilarious ‘ROCKY’-esque training regimen in an obsessive quest to reclaim the title and his manhood.

The Girl With the Tuba (USA)
A young autistic woman details how playing a tuba in the streets of Atlanta helped her sharpen her voice as an activist.

Residuum (USA)
Her feet on the edge of a rooftop, his hand approaches slowly.

Halcyon 17 (USA)
A young physicist struggles to reach Mars by climbing to the top of a huge cherry tree.

Dji. Death Fails (Moldova)
Dji is an unlucky reaper. All he has to do is collect the soul of a dying man, but many obstacles prevent him from completing this simple process.

A Life With Asperger’s (USA)
An animated documentary exploring the challenges of growing up and living with Asperger’s syndrome.

Animation Hotline (USA)
A series of micro-animations that use crowd-sourced voicemail messages for content.

Oasis (Singapore)
On his way home, a gorilla miner stumbles across a curious creature that’s much more than meets the eye.

Danza De Los Muertos (USA)
A young boy’s grandmother comes back from the world of the dead to visit, but he is too terrified of her skeletal form to dance with her.

La Hija (Spain and Argentina)
Fatima wants to play, but her father is too busy. She has imagination and special balloons.

Flamingo (Venezuela)
A surreal animated musical about depression and finding happiness again.

How to Be a Female Director (USA)
Follow Kay in her quest to become a feature film director. This film is a satirical, vintage look at a very modern day issue.

Read more
2013 Starz Denver Film Festival Galas Lineup; ‘LABOR DAY’ to Open, ‘AT MIDDLETON’ to Close

AT MIDDLETON

The 36th Starz Denver Film Festival (SDFF) taking place November 6 to 17, 2013, opens November 6 with LABOR DAY, directed by Jason Reitman and starring a standout cast of Josh Brolin, Kate Winslet and Gattlin Griffith. Alexander Payne’s road trip dramedy, NEBRASKA, will be center stage for Big Night on November 9. AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY directed by John Wells will anchor the newest Red Carpet Presentation for Centerpiece on November 15. Inaugural George Hickenlooper Award (2012) recipient Andy Garcia returns with his latest AT MIDDLETON, which costars Vera Farmiga to close the Festival on November 16.

SDFF Special Presentations include: AMERICAN MUSTANG, THE ARMSTRONG LIE, DAYS AND NIGHTS, GLORIA, HANNA RANCH, MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM, ONE CHANCE, PHILOMENA, TIM’S VERMEER and THE TRUTH ABOUT EMANUEL.

RED CARPET PRESENTATIONS

Opening Night, November 6

LABOR DAY – (DIRECTOR Jason Reitman, PRODUCERS Jason Blumenfeld, Helen Estabrook, Lianne Halfon, Jason Reitman, Russel Smith WRITER Jason Reitman CAST Josh Brolin, Kate Winslet, Gattlin Griffith) – Labor Day centers on 13-year-old Henry Wheeler (Griffith), who struggles to be the man of his house and care for his reclusive mother Adele (Winslet) while confronting all the pangs of adolescence. On a back-to-school shopping trip, Henry and his mother encounter Frank Chambers (Brolin), a man both intimidating and clearly in need of help, who convinces them to take him into their home and later is revealed to be an escaped convict. The events of this long Labor Day weekend will shape them for the rest of their lives. Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Big Night, November 9

NEBRASKA – (DIRECTOR Alexander Payne, PRODUCERS Albert Berger, Doug Mankoff, George Parra, Julie M. Thompson, Ron Yerxa WRITER Bob Nelson CAST Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squibb) – After receiving a sweepstakes letter in the mail, a cantankerous father (Dern) thinks he’s struck it rich, and wrangles his son (Forte) into taking a road trip to claim the fortune. Shot in black and white across four states, Nebraska tells the stories of family life in the heartland of America.Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Centerpiece, November 15

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY – (DIRECTOR John Wells, PRODUCERS George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Steve Traxler, Harvey Weinstein WRITER Tracy Letts CAST Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ewan McGregor, Abigail Breslin, Juliette Lewis, Sam Shepard, Chris Cooper) -August: Osage County tells the dark, hilarious and deeply touching story of the strong-willed women of the Weston family, whose lives have diverged until a family crisis brings them back to the Midwest house they grew up in, and to the dysfunctional woman who raised them. Tracy Letts’ Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name made its Broadway debut in December 2007 after premiering at Chicago’s legendary Steppenwolf Theatre earlier that year. It continued with a successful international run and was the winner of five Tony Awards in 2008, including Best Play.August: Osage County is directed by John Wells (The Company Men), who received the SDFF 25 Mayor’s Career Achievement

Award. Courtesy of The Weinstein Company

Closing Night, November 16

AT MIDDLETON – (DIRECTOR Adam Rodgers, PRODUCERS Andy Garcia, Glenn German, Sig Libowitz WRITERS Glenn German, Adam Rodgers CAST Vera Farmiga, Andy Garcia, Taissa Farmiga, Spencer Lofranco, Tom Skerritt, Peter Riegert) – The inaugural George Hickenlooper Award (2012) winner Andy Garcia returns to SDFF with his latest film directed by Adam Rodgers. Edith (Vera Farmiga) is a strong-willed, free-spirited and successful businesswoman who’s taking her hyper- achieving, 18 year-old daughter Audrey (Taissa Farmiga) on a tour of potential colleges. George (Garcia) is a buttoned-up heart surgeon accompanying his not very motivated son Conrad (Lofranco) (also 18), on a similar tour. Their paths cross at idyllic Middleton College, nestled in the picturesque Pacific Northwest. At first, all things point to this being the kids’ story… but as the parents’ well intentioned support backfires hilariously-so much so that they are booted from the very campus tour they traveled so far to attend – it quickly becomes clear that George and Edith are the heart of the film. Now banished together, these two time-pressed, responsible adults suddenly find themselves with a free day in the midst of a beautiful setting – and the hours they subsequently share change their lives as they play out a singular “college tour” all their own. Equal parts charming, romantic and heartfelt, At Middleton is about letting go and coming together – the story of two people who, through a remarkable, unexpected connection, are able to glimpse the potential that true romance can offer. As Edith and George eventually realize, in ways both comic and heartbreaking, their adventure proves to be “the greatest half-day” of their lives. Courtesy of Anchor Bay Films

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

AMERICAN MUSTANG – (DIRECTOR Monty Miranda PRODUCER Henry Ansbacher CAST Daryl Hannah, Alison Eastwood, Julia Putnam, Jim Neubert, Luke Neubert) – In an artful blend of exquisite nature documentary and character driven narrative, the majestic wild horses of the American West are revealed in stereoscopic 3D as never before. The wonder in a girl’s eye pulls us into a drama unfolding still on hundreds of millions of acres of public land. The battle lines have long been carved into very the landscape, and the players are deeply entrenched. Yet as the subtle choreography that has evolved over thousands of years begins again before our eyes, it is captivating. The intricate dance between a man and an wild horse presents lessons for us all, even the battle hardened special interest groups fighting over the place of the American Mustang.

THE ARMSTRONG LIE – (DIRECTOR Alex Gibney PRODUCERS Alex Gibney, Frank Marshall, Matthew Tolmach WRITER Alex Gibney CAST Lance Armstrong) – In 2009 Alex Gibney was hired to make a film about Lance Armstrong’s comeback to cycling. The project was shelved when the doping scandal erupted, and re-opened after Armstrong’s confession. The Armstrong Lie picks up in 2013 and presents a riveting, insider’s view of the unraveling of one of the most extraordinary stories in the history of sports. As Lance Armstrong himself says: “I didn’t live a lot of lies, but I lived one big one.”

DAYS AND NIGHTS – (DIRECTOR Christian Camargo PRODUCERS Barbara Romer, Juliet Rylance WRITER Christian Camargo CAST Katie Holmes, Allison Janney, Jean Reno, Christian Camargo, William Hurt) – Reckless desire wreaks havoc over Memorial Day weekend as a family confronts the volatile and fragile nature of love. A modern retelling of Anton Chekhov’s “The Seagull,” set in rural New England.

GLORIA – (DIRECTOR Sebastia´n Lelio PRODUCERS Luis Collar, Juan de Dios Larrai´n, Pablo Larrai´n WRITERS Sebastia´n Lelio, Gonzalo Maza CAST Paulina Garci´a, Sergio Herna´ndez, Diego Fontecilla, Fabiola Zamora, Coca Guazzini) – Gloria is 58 years old and still feels young. Making a party out of her loneliness, she fills her nights seeking love in ballrooms for single adults. This fragile happiness changes the day she meets Rodolfo. Their intense passion, to which Gloria gives everything as she feels it may well be her last, leaves her dancing between hope and despair. Gloria will have to pull herself together and find a new strength to realize that, in the last act of her life, she could burn brighter than ever.

HANNA RANCH – (DIRECTOR Mitch Dickman PRODUCERS Karl Kister, Eric Schlosser) – Mitch Dickman’s documentary is an intimate portrait of three generations of a Colorado ranching family and their once prominent way of life. It focuses on “eco-cowboy” Kirk Hanna, who was featured in the book Fast Food Nation as an early adopter of Holistic Resource Management practices, fights to preserve his land in the face of urban encroachment, environmental concerns and family discord.

MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM – (DIRECTOR Justin Chadwick PRODUCERS Anant Singh, David M. Thompson WRITER William Nicholson CAST Idris Elba, Naomie Harris, Tony Kgoroge, Riaad Moosa, Jamie Bartlett, Lindiwe Matshikiza) – Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom is based on South African President Nelson Mandela’s autobiography of the same name, which chronicles his early life, coming of age, education and 27 years in prison before becoming President and working to rebuild the country’s once segregated society. Idris Elba (Prometheus) stars as Nelson Mandela, Naomie Harris (Skyfall) stars as Winnie Mandela, with Justin Chadwick (The Other Boleyn Girl)directing.

ONE CHANCE – (DIRECTOR David Frankel PRODUCERS Simon Cowell, Michael Menchel, Kris Thykier, Harvey Weinstein, Brad Weston WRITER Justin Zackham CAST Julie Walters, Colm Meaney, Mackenzie Crook, James Corden, Jemima Rooper, Alexandra Roach) – Most people only dream about becoming a famous superstar, but against all odds one man from Wales did just that. This is the story of his journey. One Chance is the remarkable and inspirational true story of Paul Potts, a shy, bullied shop assistant by day and an amateur opera singer by night. Paul became an instant YouTube phenomenon after being chosen by Simon Cowell for ‘Britain’s Got Talent.’ Wowing audiences worldwide with his phenomenal voice, Paul went on to win ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ and the hearts of millions.

PHILOMENA – (DIRECTOR Stephen Frears PRODUCERS Steve Coogan, Tracey Seaward, Gabrielle Tana WRITER Steve Coogan, Jeff Pope CAST Judi Dench, Steve Coogan) – Falling pregnant as a teenager in Ireland in 1952, Philomena was sent to the convent of Roscrea to be looked after as a “fallen woman.” When her baby was only a toddler, he was taken away by the nuns for adoption in America. Philomena spent the next fifty years searching for him but with no success. Then she met Martin Sixsmith, a world-weary political journalist who happened to be intrigued by her story. Together they set off to America on a journey that would not only reveal the extraordinary story of Philomena’s son, but also create an unexpectedly close bond between Philomena and Martin. The film is a compelling narrative of human love and loss that ultimately celebrates life.

TIM’S VERMEER – (DIRECTOR Teller PRODUCERS Penn Jillette, Farley Ziegler CAST Tim Jenison, Penn Jillette, Colin Blakemore, David Hockney, Martin Mull, Philip Steadman) – Tim Jenison, a Texas based inventor, attempts to solve one of the greatest mysteries in all art: How did 17th century Dutch Master Johannes Vermeer (“Girl with a Pearl Earring”) manage to paint so photo-realistically-150 years before the invention of photography? The epic research project Jenison embarks on to test his theory is as extraordinary as what he discovers. Spanning a decade, Jenison’s adventure takes him to Delft, Holland, where Vermeer painted his masterpieces; on a pilgrimage to the North coast of Yorkshire to meet artist David Hockney; and eventually even to Buckingham Palace, to see the Queen’s Vermeer.

THE TRUTH ABOUT EMANUEL – (DIRECTOR Francesca Gregorini PRODUCER Matt R. Brady WRITER Francesca Gregorini CAST Jessica Biel, Alfred Molina, Aneurin Barnard, Kaya Scodelario, Frances O’Connor, Jimmi Simpson) – Emanuel (Scodelario), a troubled girl, becomes preoccupied with her mysterious, new neighbor (Biel), who bears a striking resemblance to her dead mother. In offering to babysit her newborn, Emanuel unwittingly enters a fragile, fictional world, of which she becomes the gatekeeper.
Read more
‘NEBRASKA’ ‘LABOR DAY’ Among Films in AARP Movies for Grownups Film Festival

NEBRASKA

AARP is bringing its Movies for Grownups film festival to Los Angeles, screening nine films that are also being considered for its annual Movies for Grownups Awards. Films such as SAVING MR. BANKS, LABOR DAY, and AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY will screen November 14 to 17, 2013, at Regal Cinemas, L.A. LIVE. Actors Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 YEARS A SLAVE), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (ENOUGH SAID), Bruce Dern (NEBRASKA) and Margo Martindale (AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY), along with filmmakers Ben Stiller (THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY), Alexander Payne (NEBRASKA),Steve McQueen (12 YEARS A SLAVE), Jason Reitman (LABOR DAY) and John Lee Hancock (SAVING MR. BANKS) are just some of those confirmed to attend AARP’s Movies for Grownups film festival.

The film lineup:

PHILOMENA
Starring Judi Dench and Steve Coogan (Not yet rated – 98 minutes)

NEBRASKA
Starring Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squibb, Stacy Keach (Rated R – 115 minutes)

12 YEARS A SLAVE
Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lupita Nyong’o, Michael Fassbender (Rated R -133 minutes)

ENOUGH SAID
Starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, James Gandolfini, Catherine Keener, Toni Collette (Rated PG-13 – 93 minutes)

LABOR DAY
Starring Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin, Gattlin Griffith and Tobey Maguire (Rated PG-13 – 111 minutes)
Post-screening Q&A with director/screenwriter Jason Reitman and author Joyce Maynard.

20 FEET FROM STARDOM
Starring Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer (Rated PG-13 – 91 minutes)

THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY
Starring Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Sean Penn, Adam Scott (Not yet rated – 110 minutes)

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY
Starring Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Margo Martindale, Chris Cooper, Juliette Lewis, Julianne Nicholson and Dermot Mulroney(Rated R -130 minutes)

SAVING MR. BANKS
Starring Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Colin Farrell, Paul Giamatti, Jason Schwartzman, Bradley Whitford, B.J. Novak (Rated PG-13 – 126 minutes)
Read more
‘LOST NATION: THE IOWAY’ Among Winners of 2013 Iowa Independent Film Festival.

Iowa Tribe of Oklahoma Equine Program Director, Ken McClellan astride Ioway Chief in a scene from “Lost Nation: The Ioway 2.”

Indie film “LOST NATION: THE IOWAY” directed by Kelly Rundle is the winner of the Best Feature-Length Documentary of the 2013 Iowa Independent Film Festival. “LOST NATION: THE IOWAY” tells the nearly forgotten story of the Ioway Indians, and their impact on American history, CAROL TILLEY: COMIC BOOK CRUSADER received the award for Best Short Documentary, and THE RIGHT REGRETS won the award for Best Short Feature

2013 AWARD WINNERS

Excellence In Craft Award: Judd Nelson
Lifetime Achievement Award: Ralph Senensky
Best Short Feature: THE RIGHT REGRETS
Best Feature-Length Documentary: LOST NATION: THE IOWAY 2
Best Short Documentary: CAROL TILLEY: COMIC BOOK CRUSADER
Best Student Film: THE ROAD BACK|
Orson Welles Award for Innovative Filmmaking: Scott Thompson
Karen Black Award for Excellence in Independent Film: Thomas Zoeschg
Best Performance “SINCERELY”: Mariko Van Kampen
Seventy-Six Trombones Award: Joel Everist

image via Facebook
Read more
Austin Film Festival 2013 Jury Award Winners incl ‘FILM OXV: THE MANUAL’, ‘BESIDE STILL WATERS’, ‘POLITICAL BODIES’

OXV: THE MANUAL

Austin Film Festival (AFF) announced its 2013 Jury Award Winners as well as Screenplay and Teleplay Competition winners. The Dark Matters Jury Award, awarding the best film from horror, sci-fi, or dark thriller genres, was featured for the first time ever and wen to writer/director Darren Paul Fisher for his film OXV: THE MANUAL. In addition, the Narrative Feature Jury award was given to first time writer/director, Chris Lowell for his film BESIDE STILL WATERS, and the Documentary Feature Jury Award went to director Christopher Englese, for his film POLITICAL BODIES.

The following winners were selected by category:

For features, the first ever Dark Matters Feature Jury Award was awarded to writer/director Darren Paul Fisher for his film OXV: THE MANUAL. OXV: THE MANUAL follows three students at a school where the children are divided into lucky and unlucky, and how they aim to change that fate.

The Young Filmmakers Program Competition Grand Prize was award to Imogen Pohl, director of the short film HB.

The Narrative Student Short Jury Prize was awarded to Avram Dodson, the writer/director of PISTACHIO MILK.

The Documentary Shorts Jury Award was given to director Jenny van den Broeke for her film BLINDE LIEFDE (Blind Love).

The Jury Award for Animated Short, which makes the winning film eligible to be nominated for an academy award ™ was given to Erica Harrison, writer of A CAUTIONARY TALE.

The Narrative Short Jury Award, which also qualifies the short to be nominated for an academy award tm, was given to writer/director Cody Blue Snider.

The Documentary Feature Jury Award was bestowed upon director Christopher Englese, for his film POLITICAL BODIES.
2012 was a tough year for women, especially the women of Virginia. Political Bodies shows what happens when citizens stand up for their reproductive rights, and tell the government that their bodies are their own – not pawns to be played for political gain. The issue is explored from both pro-choice and pro-life sides of the debate. Featured interviews from pro-choice activists including Shelley Abrams, Molly Vick, Tarina Keene and Rosemary Codding; pro-choice political figures including Katherine Waddell, Janet Howell, Jim Edmondson, David Englin, and Meredith Harbach; and pro-life politicians and activists including Victoria Cobb and Bob Marshall. This film shows audiences the fearlessness and determination it takes to stand up for one’s autonomy

The Narrative Feature Jury award was given to first time writer/director, Chris Lowell for his film BESIDE STILL WATERS.
In this BIG CHILL for Generation Y, a group of childhood friends come together for the last time at the scenic lake house where they all grew up, to comfort each other, rekindle old flames and drunkenly stumble down memory lane. The house brings out the adolescence in all of them, and what follows is a weekend full of drinking and dancing. Laughter and secrets. Sex, drugs, mischief and regret. Equally full of humor and heartbreak, BESIDE STILL WATERS explores the past and getting past it.

For the Screenplay and Teleplay Competition winners, the following winners were selected by category:

Drama Screenplay Award presented by the Writers Guild of America, East: “Last Waltz of Vienna” by Brian Weakland

Comedy Screenplay Award: “Don’t Talk to Irene” by Pat Mills

Enderby Entertainment Award: “Hooking Up” by Jacqueline Fitzgerald

Darkwoods Productions Horror Award: “The Hitch” by Troy Miller

Dark Hero Studios Sci-Fi Award: “Lightspeed” by Brian Siegele

AMC One-Hour Teleplay Pilot: “Liberators” by Eric Haywood

Sitcom Teleplay Pilot: “I Love Monsters” by Julie Cross

One-Hour Teleplay Spec: Doctor Who: “Ghost Town” by Alyssa Weinberger

Sitcom Teleplay Spec: Girls: “Golden Birthday, Golden Showers” by Sarah Carbiener & Erica Rosbe
Read more

Film Festivals

Narrative features

Documentary films

Professional shorts

Professional animation shorts

Student narrative shorts

Student animation shorts

New categories

Historical shorts

SuperShorts!